Stop the presses! (That phrase never gets old.) I’m going back to school!

Yes, you heard me: as of this week, your esteemed editor is currently doing (graduate) school at the University of Florida (ugh). I am studying part-time for an online Master’s degree in Mass Communication, with a concentration in Digital Journalism and Multimedia Storytelling.

But do not fear, readers: I intend to still work my day job in the meantime, so stay tuned to see if I lose my mind trying to keep track of everything in Bryan County and the newspaper itself while passing my classes. (This is exactly what iced chai lattes and fancy wall calendars are made for.)

I made the decision to pursue this degree for a variety of reasons. Reason Number 1 is that I really enjoy school, so the idea of more studying doesn’t scare me like most folks. Growing up, I loved English, History, and Math classes–at least until TI-84 calculators were needed. If money had no object, I’d take a ton of classes in stuff that tickles my fancy, like the history of ancient Greece, 19th century Russian literature or cosmology–not to be confused with cosmetology, which is what my mom studied briefly when she was around my age, before my grandmother ran out of money and told my mom to just get a “real job,” which then prompted my mother to just say “forget it, I’m leaving” and move to the U.S. (And my mom thinks I’m a drama queen…).

My second and third reasons, which are probably much more important, is that (2) I really do love journalism and wish to stay in it for as long as possible, because why the heck would I do grad school for a subject I don’t care about? I do love journalism, and I love what I do, even though my self-deprecating humor and low self-esteem betrays me at times, like in this silly little column I write on the fly every week. In the words of British singer Jess Glynne, there’s no place I’d rather be. Plus, through continuing my education I’ll stay on top of exciting new developments in news media, like increasing A.I. use and shifting news consumption habits, while improving the skills I already have and applying them all to my job here at the Bryan County News. It’s a win-win for me and my employer, as well as for my beloved colleagues thrice my age.

And (3, the most important reason): I can afford it! One should never go into massive debt for extra school, no matter how sharp and snazzy the school’s webpage looks. However, with careful budgeting, a steady income, and the added support of my family–who have backed me 100% by the way, my mom in particular gave me a very motherly hug–I will be set to graduate from Florida with next to zero debt. And how amazing will it be to be the first person in my family to earn a postgraduate degree? This dream warms my cold, dead, and slightly caffeinated heart.

It takes a village to raise a know-it-all, and I want to close this column by taking the time to truly thank everyone in my life who has encouraged me on this road to further education, from friends and family to colleagues and past professors at UGA.

Maybe one day, when I’m a fashionably chic old person working as an established editor-in-chief at some big newspaper or magazine, or maybe a published author, or a famous travel vlogger, or a tenured college professor, or all the above–I can help out the next generation in their media careers.

That is, if robots haven’t taken over the world by then.

Andrea Gutierrez is the managing editor of the Bryan County News.